Slow molasses drip under a tipped-up crescent moon.

Consulting

WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE

I am committed to helping nonprofit organizations effectively and enthusiastically fulfill their missions. I have worked with organizations small and large, and have experience in each of the public sector’s major functional areas: arts and culture, government, education, and community betterment. My prior successes as a public sector executive, nonprofit board member and freelance creative provider allow me to offer a unique combination of skills in consulting engagements. I am outcome and output driven, and I know how to balance the expectations of board members, volunteers, staff members, clients, donors and management teams. For independent perspective on my work, see my Testimonials Page.

WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

Strategic Planning: The strategic planning process represents the vehicle whereby board vision and management implementation are periodically brought into clear alignment around an organization’s mission. I have had extensive success in facilitating, documenting and implementing this process.

Operations Management and Performance Measurement: Does your organization fulfill its mission efficiently? How do you know? I can help you formulate and track metrics for evaluating your organization while also performing in-depth evaluations of your day-to-day office processes to help you become more efficient.

Board Development and Training: Boards only become great through ongoing efforts to engage qualified, passionate members, and then to train them on the responsibilities of governance. I can evaluate prospective members and conduct training for boards, and am also a deft facilitator in cases where the board-to-management relationship may have become dislocated.

Retreat Facilitation: Retreats provide excellent opportunities for your team to gain fresh perspective and enthusiasm by removing day-to-day pressures and routines. I am an adept retreat facilitator, able to make participants feel engaged, while keeping groups focused on achieving desired outcomes in the time available to reach them.

Transitional Planning and Support: Changes in executive leadership can be traumatic for staff and boards alike. I can help you write engaging position descriptions and advertisements, screen and rank candidates, facilitate hiring, and provide bridge leadership until your full-time candidate is identified.

Development Planning: Are you in an event-based operating mode, putting heavy effort into making just enough money to get to the next labor-intensive event? Do you have planned gifts or endowment funds securing your long-term success? Or are you, like most nonprofits, somewhere in between? I can help you plan the best mix of development activities to maximize return on personnel and monetary investments.

Making Your Case: In a world of finite philanthropic resources, why should people support your organization? This is one of the most important questions in the nonprofit sector, though surprisingly few nonprofits answer it effectively. I can work with your team to develop strong cases for all of your fundraising initiatives.

MY COMMITMENTS TO YOU

I am an accomplished, experienced, qualified and professional independent contractor, and the following principles guide all of my work:

My work has a beginning, a middle, and an end: When you contract with me, projects will have deliverable items with firm end dates. If you choose to hire me for an additional project, I will likely be happy to accept it, but I will not make my future engagement a priority when assessing what’s best for your organization.

My pricing is tailored to your home market: My effective hourly rate will be based on market analysis of average executive director salaries from peer group nonprofits within your own community. Expenses beyond my base hourly rate will be clearly identified up front.

Our success will be measured through objective, external metrics: While inward-looking measurements are important, organizations become most truly successful by looking to the world around them, understanding its expectations, and using their assets to effectively fill market needs through their missions. I will help you achieve that, with measurable results that are visible to others.

My work products will be timely, professional and clear: I will provide standalone written documentation of all efforts, and will be there to meet with all constituents when and if the results of our work together are revealed to wider circles of stakeholders.